School of Social & Political Sciences

The Q-Step Initiative

Q-Step is a £19.5 million programme designed to promote a step-change in quantitative social science training. Q-Step is a strategic response to the shortage of quantitatively-skilled social science graduates. It is funded by the Nuffield Foundation, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). For more information visit www.nuffieldfoundation.org/q-step.

Since 2013, fifteen universities across the UK are delivering specialist data driven undergraduate programmes, including new courses, bespoke work placements and pathways to postgraduate study. Expertise and resources are also shared across the higher education sector through a complementary support programme, reaching out to schools and employers.

University of Glasgow Q-step Centre Mission

We are committed to delivering a step-change in quantitative literacy in social sciences through an integrated life-long-learning model supported by social scientists, educationalists and mainstream statisticians at the University of Glasgow (UoG). We are monitoring the radical educational reforms currently underway in Scotland (reforms of both school curriculum and teachers’ training) for opportunities to support and nurture the future data analysis skilled social scientists.

Our Strategy

Stage one: embedding statistical numeracy across a wide spectrum of existing courses in Social Science and Education by thoroughly integrating the “4Cs” in Quantitative Methods (Core concepts, Creative skills, Critical thinking & Collaborative working) using national/international datasets in all four years of five MA (Social Sciences) degrees (Public Policy, Sociology, Politics, Economic and Social History, Central and Eastern European Studies ) and the MA (Education) degree.

Stage two: Develop new methods courses and badged degrees: including a coherent suite of new data driven courses at Levels 1 to 4, leading to new “with” degrees (e.g. MA Politics with Quantitative Methods, MA Sociology with Quantitative Methods, etc.).

Work Placements/Internships:

We are committed to delivering high quality bespoke internships to our students in a variety of organisations (Governmental and Non-Governmental as well as the private sector). Work Placements are part of our mission to grow and support our students. Internships specialize in data analysis, problem solving and social change.